Definitions

Data Collection Period
The trips for a studied day include all trips between 04:00 and 03:59 on the following morning. Thus the analyzed period is a full day (24 hours) starting from 04:00.

For passenger car trips over one hundred kilometres in length the studied period includes 14 days.

For trips over one hundred kilometres with other modes than passenger car, the studied period includes 28 days. These 28 days are counted backwards from the day before the actual studied day. If the studied day were for instance 25 September 2010, the studied period for long trips would be from 28 August to 24 September 2010.

All trips that begin during the studied time period are included for both daily and long trips. All times are counted according to Finnish time. Trips have been marked as originating from a location, which fits within the studied time period.

Trip
A trip means moving from one place to another, from home to the shop or work for instance. The outbound and inbound trips of a journey are considered separate trips. All trips, even short ones, are counted if they extend beyond the premises of the current location. The premises can mean a home yard or an equivalent area for other locations.

Moving within ones own garden or premises and trips made by professional drivers and other people working in vehicles are not considered trips.

Trips Over 100 km
Trips that are over 100 kilometres long from the origin to the main destination are considered over 100 kilometres long. There may be intermediate stops during the trip.

Trip Purpose
Trip purpose is used to describe the primary purpose for a whole chain of trips. In reality there can be multiple reasons for travelling and the main purpose is not always clear. If the respondent was unable to decide the primary purpose of a chain of trips the interviewer helped with the decision. In these cases the primary purpose was generally the destination where the most time was spent. In the study trip purposes are divided into 11 alternatives, which are grouped into 5 primary groups.

Trip to work or education
- Trips between home and work, which the traveller pays himself
- Trips to school or some other educational institution or a child’s own trip to day care
- Trips to and from national service (garrisons)

Business trip
- Business trips on company time (work related and paid for by employer)
- Business trips during free time (paid for by employer, but trip takes place during free time)

Other leisure trips
- Visiting friends or relatives
- All other personal purposes such as culture, sports or going to restaurants

Trip count
Trip count is the total amount of trips made by a person in a certain time period. Trips per day (trips / d), trips in a 4 week period (trips / 4 w) and trips per year (trips / y) have been used as units in this study.

Travel distance
Travel distance is the total length of trips made by a person in a certain time period. Kilometres per day (km / d), kilometres in a 4 wee period (km / 4 w) and kilometres per year (km / y) have been used as units in this study.

Travel time
Travel time is the total time a person has spent travelling during a certain time period. Minutes per day (min / d) has been used as the unit in this study. Travel time also includes time spent changing between modes and stop times.

Travel mode choices
The primary mode of travel has been reported for each chain of trips. Information about the mode used for each trip part has also been collected. There were a total of 34 mode choices. The main groups are:

Primary mode of travel
The primary mode of travel is based on the opinion of the travelling person. If the person was unable to name a primary mode, the interviewer gave the following instruction: The primary mode of travel is the one used to travel the largest share of the total travel distance.

Finnish Transport Agency

Finnish Transport Agency enables efficient, safe and functioning journeys and transportations. We maintain roadways, railways and waterways in Finland and we are in charge of the comprehensive development of the transport system.